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Inferno Horror Claims Third Victim

PHUKET: A 12-year-old girl died this afternoon in a hospital north of Phuket, third victim of a nightmarish inferno that sent deadly smoke through a passenger bus.

Panida Kengprasong, 12, was on the Phuket-Satun bus with her mother on Wednesday, bound for Taput, when the driver stopped at Takua Tung in Phang Nga, north of Phuket, to try to fix a problem with his seat by using a welder.

Panida's mother said: ''We were sitting in the middle of the bus when the fire broke out. We found ourselves trapped in the bus until people on the outside were able to break windows so we could escape.''

Panida had been in a coma in Phang Nga Hospital intensive care unit with three others. Sunisa Chhoeaw, 25, died on Thursday.

Two passengers remain in comas, with doctors fighting for their lives.

Dang Paharat, 50, was the first to die after the blaze.

Police have charged the bus driver with dereliction of duty and manslaughter. Because he did not flee the scene, he has been granted bail of 150,000 baht.